Soeharto to emphasize harmony in Bangkok

Soeharto to emphasize harmony in Bangkok

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia sees the inaugural Asia-Europe summit
in Bangkok this Friday as a rare opportunity for the two regions
to forge a strong partnership, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono
said yesterday.

This is the message that President Soeharto will bring when he
meets with 24 other leaders in the historic two-day summit in the
Thai capital, Moerdiono told reporters.

With the demise of the Cold War, the President was quoted as
saying that the world has entered a new era in which countries
have become increasingly inter-dependent.

"That's why the President feels that the time has come to
forge a new partnership with a new spirit. This means that
countries must help one another and forge ties that are mutually
beneficial," he said.

But the sovereignty of each state taking part in the meeting
must also be respected, the minister said, adding that each
country's domestic affairs must be left alone.

Moerdiono was announcing the planned participation of
President Soeharto at the Bangkok summit. Moerdiono, Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and Coordinating Minister of
Production and Distribution Hartarto will be part of the
President's entourage.

The President has lined up at least four meetings on the
sidelines of the summit and is scheduled to meet with French
President Jacques Chirac, Chinese Prime Minister Li Peng, Danish
Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen and Irish Prime Minister
John Bruton.

The President travels to Bangkok today amidst speculation that
Portugal, one of the 15 European countries taking part, might
raise the issue of Indonesia's East Timor policy.

Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres was the first of
the 24 visiting leaders to arrive in Bangkok yesterday. He made
no statement, although his spokesman said earlier in Lisbon that
Portugal intended to raise the East Timor question as it has at
every other international forum.

Moerdiono said there are no plans for Soeharto to have a
separate meeting with Guterres although it is likely the two
leaders will meet in the summit.

"If the President bumps into the Portuguese prime minister,
the President, as we know him, will not avoid him ... If it is
the norm at international meetings for people to shake hands,
then why not?.

"We do have a problem with Portugal because they are still
disputing the East Timor issue," Moerdiono said.

"From what I can gather, the President is very firm on the
issue...As far as Indonesia is concerned, the matter is resolved.

"If the world community wants a solution in an internationally
acceptable way, like I have said, the matter is being discussed
between Indonesia and Portugal under the auspices of the UN
Secretary-General," Moerdiono said.

Asked what will happen should Portugal decide to raise the
issue, Moerdiono responded:

"I think Portugal must think this out carefully because it
(the issue) is not of common interest to Asia and Europe.

"They should not undermine this important and historic meeting
by raising issues that are not relevant and of no interest to the
other participants.

"Indonesia's position is clear (on East Timor) and we are
ready to respond at any forum," Moerdiono said.

"The Portuguese should really think deep. Have they forgotten
the history of their 450 years of colonization of East timor.
Didn't the problem in East Timor originate from their own
actions, abandoning the territory in an irresponsible manner
after failing to complete the decolonization process?" (emb)